Physics at UB

Inside the lab of Professor Hao Zeng

The Department of Physics provides the primary locus for
learning, research and service in basic and applied physics. We
offer rigorous training in physics at both undergraduate and
graduate levels, and are actively involved in collaborative
outreach, serving the Western New York community and neighboring
schools.

Physics Study – What does it include?

Physics traditionally is a science that asks the
deepest question of nature: How can one understand the workings of
the universe around us, from the smallest to the biggest? Nature
continually challenges us to explain how matter forms and how it
acquires certain properties.

Physics today, with the help of modern technology,
creates man-made structures beyond nature's ability to offer. It
borders and mixes with the neighboring disciplines of chemistry,
engineering and biology. Physics
research at UB is conducted through vigorous, interdisciplinary
collaboration with a wide range of science and engineering
departments throughout the world.

Products of UB Physics are well-represented by our
successful alumni, with more than 100 PhD's graduated in the last
ten years. Look at where
they land.

Our faculty members are involved in pioneering research in
several areas, including condensed matter physics, high energy
physics/cosmology/astrophysics, and biophysics. The faculty boasts
nine
NSF CAREER Award recipients, and a strong commitment to
education and research. Many research groups are also active
members of several interdisciplinary research centers on campus,
offering our students broad-based education and training.

By any standard, our undergraduate students are truly
exceptional. In the last three years, our majors have received
three
Goldwater Scholarships and one honorary mention, and four
NSF and DoD graduate research fellowships. In addition, numerous
graduate fellowships from universities such as Stanford and UC
Berkeley have been awarded, as well as one first author paper in
the Physical Review Letters and one perfect score
on the physics GRE. Two of our majors were among the ten
Outstanding Winners of the Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM)
in 2015, with 7,636 teams competing from all over the
globe.

Our graduate program is at the heart of our research mission,
with roughly 90 students joining us from all over the world. About
half of our graduate students receive university and department
named scholarships during their study. Our outstanding
record of graduate placement is a testament to
our commitment to excellence in graduate education, and the
knowledge and skills graduate students acquire during their years
with the department.

Buffalo/Niagara

The Buffalo/Niagara Falls region is a rich, diverse environment
for learning, living, and cultural and recreational activities. I
invite you to explore our department and learn more about the
exciting opportunities in UB Physics. Please contact
us if we can be of any assistance. We look forward to your
application and we hope you can join our community of scholars.